The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has questioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his reference to a court order allegedly authorising the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to freeze the accounts of the Osun State Government.
The party, while welcoming the President’s directive for the immediate reversal of the EFCC’s action, described his statement on the matter as “curious” and “unusual,” insisting that the anti-graft agency had never publicly claimed that it obtained any court order before freezing the accounts.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the President was either misinformed about the existence of the alleged order or had deliberately misrepresented the facts.
The party said the EFCC had consistently defended its action by relying on its statutory powers and what it described as its “preventive mandate,” without making any reference to a court order.
“Where did the President obtain the information that a court order existed?” the ADC asked, demanding to know why the alleged order was not mentioned by the EFCC in its public statements or by its spokesperson during a television appearance on Thursday morning.
The party said, “If no such order exists, why would the President introduce one into the public narrative? It is either the President was misinformed or he had chosen to misrepresent the facts. Either possibility is deeply disturbing.”
The ADC also challenged the President’s claim that he does not interfere in the operational activities of anti-corruption agencies, arguing that his admission that he directed the EFCC to approach the court, vacate the alleged order and discontinue the matter contradicted that position.
According to the party, the President’s intervention raises questions about the extent of the operational independence of agencies such as the EFCC.
“If the President possesses the authority to direct the EFCC to withdraw from court proceedings because the political consequences may affect an election, then it follows that he possesses the authority to direct the Commission in other operational matters as well,” the statement said.
The ADC further accused the Presidency of attempting to distance itself from the EFCC’s action while simultaneously demonstrating its ability to intervene in the agency’s operations.
It argued that the reversal was not prompted by a sudden concern for democratic integrity but by sustained criticism from Nigerians, civil society organisations, political parties and other stakeholders who condemned the freezing of the Osun accounts.
The party described the action as an “extraordinary abuse of state power” allegedly intended to influence the outcome of the governorship election.
The ADC also questioned why the statement announcing the reversal was personally signed by President Tinubu rather than issued through the Presidency or the appropriate government communication channels.
It described the move as unusual, arguing that the President could have simply directed the EFCC to reverse the action without personally issuing a press statement.
The party concluded by urging the President to apply the same principle to other ongoing legal matters, particularly the bail application of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
“Since the President has now demonstrated that he can direct federal agencies to discontinue proceedings based on pretension to public interest or democratic fairness, perhaps he should also consider directing the ICPC and its counsel to stop opposing the bail application of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai,” the ADC said.
